Ice-vehicle.



No. 734,552. v BATENTED (JULY 23,1903.

I. N. HENNESS.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES A TTOBNE) UNITED STATEs PATENT fPatented. Zl'uly as, 1963.-

()FFICE.

ISAAC N. HENNESS, OE ILWACO, WASHINGTON.

ICE-VEHICLE.

srncrmcnmon forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,552, dated a as,1903.

Application filed March 1, 1202.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC N. HENNESS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ilwaco, in the county of Pacific and State of Washington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Vehicles, ofwhich the fol-- lowing is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicles designed to propelthemselves and, if desired, of hauling other vehicles over the ice orsnow.

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle capable oftraversing rough ice, deep snow, and slush, which I attain by the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a planview of a vehicle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal vertical section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 arerespectively enlarged perspective views of a propeller-shoe and thesteering-rudder.

Referring to the said drawings, the vehicleconsists of a water-tightbody comprised of side plates at and a bottom plate b, bent upwardly toform ends I); suitable framing to provide structural strengthto thesame, and longitudinal runners 0, extending throughout the body lengthand to some distance rearwardly thereof.

d'represents a steam-boiler and its attachments, and e arr-engine. 1

To the after end of the vehicle-body is journaled in boxes f a multiplecrank-shaft g, which is rotated by a link belt h, passing aroundsprocket-wheels t' 9; upon the said. crank-shaft and the engine-shaft,respectively. To the several crank-pins of said shaft are pivotallyconnected push-bars it, having shoes Z, which engage with the ice orother supporting-surface. The said shoesl (see Fig. 3) are each formedof a plate curved near one end to form a ball m, upon which to slide intheir forward travel, a flange m at the other end, and a hollow orcavity m therebetween.

Projecting forward of the vehicle-body is an extension-piece 0, foldedback at its outer end to provide double bearings o for the post p ofrudder p, which is vertically movable Serial No. 96,315. (No man.)

therein to compensate for the irregularities of the surface beingtraveled over. In order to exert a greater downward force or more themby a pin q, eccentric of the perimeter of the said forked end, and thusprovide a fulcrum against the upper fold 0" of the piece 0 by raisingthe handle end of the tiller after the. rudder has been swung around tothe proper steering-angle. with the rudder, are intended as supports forthe rudder when in slush or soft snow.

To remove snow-drifts encountered in the path of the vehicle or inopening new roads,

I contemplate using, in combination with the 7c vehicle, a snow-shovelerwhich consists of a double-bladed shovel 2, mounted upon the extremityof a shaft 3 3, which is rotated from the engine by link belt 4,sprocket-wheels 5 5', and bevel-pinion 6 and gear-wheels 7 8.

The shaft .9 of sprocket-wheel 5 and pinion 6 is journaled in fixedboxes 10. The gear wheel 7 is mounted upon a vertical shaft 12,journaled in bracket-box l3, and seated thereon, so as to seat looselyabout shaft 12,

is the hub of a swiveling frame 14, carrying the journal-boxes 14 ofshaft 3. Positioned between the last-named boxes and splined to shaft3.is a sleeve 15, upon which are fixed the bevel gear-wheels 8, adaptedto mesh with 8 bevel-wheel 7 for rotating the said shaft in eitherdirection. This is accomplished by means of a lever 11, fulcrumed at '11to the swiveling frame and engaging with horns 11" of the said sleeve,whereby the latter may be o shifted so as to put either of the saidWheels 8 into or out of engagement. The shaft parts 3 3 are connected bya universal joint 20, so

as to deflect the same out of a right line in either. a vertical orhorizontal, direction, the 5 outer part 3 being controlled by a lever16, fulcrumed at 17 to the frame 14, which is inf termediate of thehandle end 16' and its connection 16" With a sleeve-bearing 18, locatedin proximity with the rotatable shovel.

By means of the swivel mounting of frame 14 the shaft Smay be directedtoward any angle with the axis of the vehicle, and uy means of the saiduniversal joint onf' the Wings 19, integral 65 shaft the shaft may beswung vertically or horizontally. Consequently the shoveling or, morecorrectly, scraping may done anywhere within reach of the device withease and despatch. The fact that the direction of rotation of the shovelmay be reversed is of importance, inasmuch as the material to be handiedcan be moved from either side and in either transverse direction.

The operation of the vehicle-propelling device is extremely simple andis adapted to accomplish the purpose for which designednamely, the rapidpropulsion of the vehicle over rough or hommocky ice or snow surfaces-animportant element to its successful operation being the foot-piece orshoe Z, whereby the vehicle may be propelled upon either hard ice orsoft snow or slush. Also, in the latter the Hat toboggan-like bottom ofthe vehicle-body supports the same against immersion therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and dcsi re tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an ice-vehicle, the combination with the body having a waterproofbody portion, propelling push-bars, and a steering device;

of means to clear a path of snow or the like in advance of the vehicle,such meanscomprising revoluble blades fixedly mounted upon a swingingshaft projecting forward of the vehicle-body, devices whereby the saidshaft can be rotated in opposite directions, substantially as described.

2. As a means of clearing the path in advance of an ice-vehicle, thebevel-pinion 6, shaft 9, bevel-wheel 7 mounted on a vertical shaft 12, aframe 14 swiveled on last-named shaft, another shaft 3 journaled inframe 14, a sleeve splined to shaft 3 and having a. bevel gearwheelfixedly mounted to its opposite ends, means to shift the said sleevelengthwise upon shaft 3, a universal joint in shaft 3, a blade orblades2 mounted upon the outer extremity of shaft 3, and an outersleeve-bearing 18 and lever 16, arranged and operating as herein shownand described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC N. HENNESS.

Witnesses:

J. J. BRUMBACH, O. E. KERLU.

